Boxing fans are in disbelief after seeing how ‘skinny’ Deontay Wilder’s legs are, with some joking about how he’s clearly been ‘skipping leg day’ – while others argue it shouldn’t matter, especially as he’s been ‘knocking out blokes’ all his life.
Wilder hasn’t fought since his knockout loss to Fury in October last year, but is now back in training amid speculation that he’s plotting his return to the ring.
He was photographed at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas with a number of fellow boxers – including Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter, who posed with him for an Insta snap.
Wilder was also pictured with former world champion boxer Badou Jack, with ‘The Ripper’ sharing the photo with the caption: "Good to see @BronzeBomber back in the gym today."
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But many fans found themselves focusing on one specific detail in both images, having noticed that Wilder’s legs looked particularly slim.
One person commented: “Wilder been skipping leg day since forever.”
Someone else said: “Those skinny legs... At first they didn't look real.”
A third said they looked like ‘chicken legs’, while another said they were ‘ridiculous’.
One other added: "Wilder really needs to stop skipping leg day. Man's got the skinniest legs in heavyweight history."
Another worried what this meant for his category, saying: “How is Deontay able to weigh-in as heavyweight? Besides his punch, there's hardly anything that looks heavyweight about him.”
But someone else waded in: “Because he's a tall ectomorph. He can be heavy but not look heavy because he's so tall and gangly.”
Others also defended Wilder, pointing out that it’s not necessarily a useful point to make in an age of body positivity.
"People come in all shapes and sizes you know?” one said.
“That dude has been knocking out blokes heavier than him all his life. He’s always been skinny. He’s like me. I’m 6ft 2 200 pound and skinny but I’m strong as a ox."
Earlier this week, Wilder was in attendance for Dana White's Contender Series at the UFC Apex, where the UFC president revealed that the ex-WBC heavyweight is training at the UFC Apex.
"I didn't see him, I knew he was coming," White said during the post-fight press conference on Tuesday, 2 August.
"I think Deontay Wilder is training here for his fight. I think he is training at the Apex for his next fight, Deontay Wilder is a tough dude man and it is fun to watch him fight.
"I like him and I respect him."
Topics: Deontay Wilder, Sport, Boxing
Jess Hardiman